Arts and Sciences Employees May Take Courses for Credit

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences has initiated a trial program to allow employees to take one daytime course per semester for credit.

Nina Hillgarth, director of special students and coordinator of the experiment, said that 20 employees will take advantage of the program this spring. Any employee of the Faculty or its affiliated institutions such as Fogg Museum and Widener Library will be eligible to enroll in a course if their supervisor agrees, she said.

Balance Paid by Faculty

Hillgarth said that employees participating will have to make up the time they miss on the job, but will only be required to pay one-tenth of the normal $460 one course rate. The balance of the cost will be paid for by the Faculty.

The program, begun two weeks ago, will run for three years under present plans.

Employee admission to a course will be subject to the approval of the professor as well as the limitations of class size, Hillgarth said.

Corporation appointees, such as professors and administrators, have always had the privilege of taking courses during working hours, Hillgarth added, and the new program will "hopefully" be expanded to give all employees similar privileges.

A maximum of 300 employees will be allowed to enter the program.

Henry Rosovsky, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences said he thought every employee of the University should have an opportunity to take courses. The program is a "good idea and educationally sound," he said, but instructors should control who enters their courses to ensure that employees do not take courses which are "beyond their abilities."

Little Disagreement

Rosovsky said that there was little disagreement with the administrative decision in his department. "It just seemed to be the right thing to do," he said. The minor course charge, he said, will guarantee that all employees in the program take it seriously.

Rosovsky said that while he would like to see the program expanded to include all employees, he would expect other departments to contribute to the expenses of the program if their employees enrolled.